Embedded Files
Background
Background
Hearing loss and balance dysfunction affect millions of people worldwide, with the most common underlying cause being the irreversible loss of the specialized sensory hair cells that transmit information about hearing and balance. Our lab works to understand how the inner ear develops, how its sensory cells can be regenerated after injury, and how genetic variation shapes hearing loss in people, with the ultimate goal of restoring hearing and balance.
Approach
Approach
We combine genetic mouse models of inner ear injury and development with single-cell and spatial multi-omics, computational analysis, and the study of human inner ear tissues and human genetics. By working across model systems and human biology, we aim to decipher the fundamental mechanisms of inner ear development and regeneration and to translate them toward therapies for hearing and balance disorders.
Areas of research focus
1. Mitotic regeneration in the inner ear: Using an in vivo hair cell ablation model combined with single cell RNA seq and lineage tracing experiments, we aim to gain an in-depth understanding of mitotic hair cell and supporting cell regeneration.
2. Inner ear development: We seek to understand the developmental cues that pattern the inner ear sensory organs, including the gene regulatory and alternative splicing programs that specify cell fate. Our goal is to learn how these developmental cues can be harnessed for regenerative therapies..
3. Computational and multi-omics approaches: We apply the latest computational, single-cell, and spatial multi-omics tools to answer fundamental questions of inner ear development and regeneration across multiple species.
4. Human inner ear biology: We leverage access to human inner ear tissues to test discoveries made in our mouse models, bridging mechanistic findings in animal systems with human biology.
5. Hearing loss genetics: We study the genetics of hearing disorders in human populations, using Vanderbilt’s BioVU biorepository to link genetic variation to hearing loss and clinical outcomes, including cochlear implant performance.
Interested in learning more? Check out our Join Us page!
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse